The two main research directions in the Group are the monitoring and predictive modeling of climate impacts on slope stabilities (eg EERC grant in collaboration with Newcastle and Southampton Universities), and capping materials for waste disposal facilities ((Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) studentship)), and applications of constitutive models of saturated and unsaturated soils.  A permeability test facility has recently been bought under the NDA studentship.

Investigations of peatlands geotechnical and hydrological properties seek to develop sustainable engineered solutions for wetland conservation and natural hazard management of peat slope instabilities (Irish National Parks & Wildlife Service award). A major Outreach Industrial-Academic Partnership with Alpha Environmental, Pera, Shanks, Rockbourne Environmental, and Parker Plant on ‘Prototyping a rotating drum, continuous chemical oxidation system for the remediation of soil contaminated with organic compounds’ is further developing contaminated land remediation technologies at QUB.